Maybe I'm just holding it wrong... shooting while looking down the sights, running out in the open... I'll give it another try.

-end of edit-

Currently I'd like to provide feedback on Shotguns. They're broken by design.

Shotgun's effective range is so small you can only hit at nearly point-blank distance (up to 10 meters away, approximately). Using Slug rounds increases this range somewhat, but even adding 50% to a tiny value doesn't really make a difference. Multiply 0 by 1000 and you'll still have 0.

Now, take into consideration the fact most maps are so large you won't be able to hit anything anywhere simply because opponents are too far away. And there are no effective camp spots in rooms - maps are very limited in this regard, you can't climb most objects, most corners have invisible walls ect.

Why I believe shotguns don't fit into the game and its not just my personal opinion:

When was the last time you were killed with a shotgun? When was the last time anyone used a shotgun around you? When was the last time you used a shotgun? Try it. Lots of fun.

What I believe should be done to balance shotguns to make them usable (not overpowered, but possible to play with):

2. Make slug rounds act like Assault Rifle rounds in single fire mode - infinite range (with gradual damage falloff). This would give people a reason to use slug rounds at all. Currently, there is none. AR shoots faster, does more damage, hits more often, has more bullets, reloads faster; same can be said about SMG. Why would anyone want a shotgun?

Alternative solution:Remove shotguns from the multiplayer game with all respective challenges.

Honestly, I'd like to see developers, responsible for weapon balance, doing weapon challenges in real public multiplayer games. Not local private games to see weather it works, but doing it in real life conditions, to see if they realize what they ask of players. I believe many challenges weren't tested properly (not as in "does increase counter when you complete one event?" kind of test, but "is it reasonable to ask players to do this considering game weapon/map/game balance?" kind of test). You don't have to believe my word, try to do a Dictator challenge instead: hit 100 times with LMG without reloading, getting killed or missing a single bullet. Killstreaks do not count.

Honestly... I really think you need to evaluate your playing style, I naturally assumed this would be a topic ripping on how OP shotguns are but underpowered, really? Shotguns wreck in this game dude.

Obviously there are some maps where they are better than others just as in any game but there is nothing unbalanced about the shotgun currently and improving it in anyways even as much as I'd love it (fresh off a 37-8 TDM game on Freight with the Bulldog) would just make things grossly unfair.

If you really want to be using a shotgun though I'll gladly throw a couple tips your way to help you do better hopefully.

If you aren't using Dead Silence, anyone and everyone you will ever have a chance of killing will hear you coming from a mile away.

Stay out of sight, try and come from behind them, once you are seen choose a different route.

Use corners to your advantage, if you get someone chasing you take one and then hug it as he passes you.

Muzzle Break helps with range but try not to engage until you know you're close enough to finish the target.

This should be a given but hipfire all the way, I've yet to look down the sights of my shotgun.

If you aren't using Amplify and some form of gaming headphones you will be at a huge disadvantage when it comes to any CQC, 90% of your kills are going to be coming from hearing footsteps and putting yourself in their path.

Try running straight combat knife as practice to just get the gameplay down, once you are able to go positive consistently and you make the move up to a shotgun it will make things like childs play.

Its good enough with Steady Aim and hip firing that I really feel like aiming down the scope at all is just a waste of a few milliseconds you could already be gunning the guy down, in addition you have much better mobility as your firing. My exact setup is Steady Aim, Dead Silence, Amplify, Ready Up, Agility, and Marathon. I've tried switching out a few but nothing really compares to be able to sprint around endlessly at high speeds, you can close on people faster, and in other situations you can escape and be on the other side of the map before the person who was shooting at you knows what happened.

Tried the exact same setup earlier with a bulldog and, well, its dramatically different from my usual "aim+fire" approach (where I used to rely on the "one big bullet" rather than using shotgun as hipfire weapon). Its fun, its fast, its effective at close ranges and I immediately got my operation completed. Funny how dramatically different these two appoaches are.

Thanks for the setup! Even though I reached same setup independently, I completely agree, its great!

As an alternative way of using shotguns, try them in tandem with the perk Overkill. Use whatever primary weapon you wish for range like an AR/Sniper/SMG, and use the shotgun as a "secondary primary". This way you start the match (and every life thereafter) able to be effective from more ranges.

For players with higher skill in the game, this strategy isn't as effective as you get to learn how to use many different weapons well enough outside of their intended range, but it doesn't hurt to try it out and see if it works for you.